I'm in heaven...tra..la

Ok, the title's a lie, I'm really in Pennsylvania, but hey, if you know how much I love drinking tea and visiting quilt shops, you'll get the drift and let me tell you, it's been great since the moment I stepped on the plane!  

Yes I know, I moaned the whole way home from Spain, and grumped most of the flight from Portugal but I had SPACE this time.  Two whole big fat empty seats beside me which meant I could kip whenever I felt so inclined. Yeah!  And to satisfy the geeky bit, I taught myself backgammon on the touch screen do-dah in front of me and got even with the computer, (after about 20 games... I'm a slow learner).

And now, I'm in temporary residence with my friend and her family.  Jen and I have known each other since we were in single digits when she started visiting her grandmother in Northern Ireland, and we've been the best of chums ever since.  I love being here and catching up and enjoying the fun and endless tea with her, her Lebanese husband and four children (20, 15, 13, 5). 

For a news junkie though, (professionally speaking of course) I had a famine through the start of the week so have had to sneaky peek at the web to find out The Results. (Thanks BBC News team - keep it up guys!)  The camp under this roof is somewhat divided (an Irish/Lebanese split) so we don't talk about it ;o)

The perfect Autumn Sunday...

...is a happy mix of 3 year old enthusiasm at Sunday school, a wander round the harbour with the li'l guy on his new trike (not too close to the water and then off to run at the lazier seagulls on the ground), a late roast dinner with a table load of family and friends, warm amaretti pears for desert (yummy) then a rehearsal of nursery rhymes round the piano, all against the background of a warm, sunny autumn day.

Today's most heartwarming moments? The spontaneous "thank you" prayers from the kids this morning and the li'l guy this evening... thank you God for trees, for butterflies, for food and for family. The amusement of a mini haircut... for the 2 year old li'l guy in his mum's arms while granny distracted him with bubbles - I'm thankful I didn't cut his ear off!

Tomorrow's a last minute shop, tree plant and pack. I'm off to the USA early Tuesday morning - interesting day to arrive huh!